Be Worried If The Devil Doesn’t Talk To You

As kids, we played ball in a vacant lot next to a scary German Shepherd, which was chained to a stake. If our ball went near him, we didn’t dare retrieve it. Once, our only ball fell in his territory. Was he that dangerous? I got up to him and stared him in the eye. Immediately he growled, jumped and just missed me. I decided then and there, he could keep his old ball.

Our Father…forgive us the wrongs we do as we forgive those who wrong us. Lead us not into temptation, but keep us out of the devil’s territory. (Matthew 6,4, Our Paraphrase)The tempter is like that vicious dog. Jesus taught us what to do about it—pray that we might stay out of his territory.

Once, I was doing the dishes, brooding over something my wife said to me, when a thought popped into my head. “No one appreciates you.” “That’s right”, I thought, “no one does.” I decided to give my wife a piece of my mind when it dawned on me—that wasn’t my thought and it was a lie. I realized it had to have been the devil’s speaking in my mind.

I didn’t repent of the thought. It wasn’t mine. But I did go to be reconciled to my wife. If I hadn’t, I would bring sin into my heart, conflict into my home and hindrance to my prayers. (I Peter 3:7). A Chinese proverb says, “You can’t keep a bird from landing on your head, but you don’t have to let him build a nest there.” The Bible urges us, Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. (James 4: 8 KJV)
The Holy Spirit led Jesus into the devil’s territory to be tested. Three times the tempter spoke to him. Instantly, Jesus recognized his voice and resisted him with the Word of God. So be worried if the devil doesn’t speak to you. It means you are no threat.

Today the tempter might come to me if I feel snubbed or someone does or says something that’s wrong. I may read a post in a blog, know it can’t be scriptural and feel indignant. I’m inching up to the devil’s jaws. He is sure to speak to me, something like, “You should stand up for the truth. Go on the attack!” If I don’t shoo that devil bird away, he may build an ugly nest. I have a choice: agree with him and do something unkind or be like Jesus and resist the devil. After all, our warfare isn’t with our brother. It’s with the prince of darkness. (Eph. 6:12)

“What’s so wrong about standing up for the truth?” you ask. Truth without grace is folly and what would Jesus do? He was full of grace and truth? (John 1:14) If I do write a post criticizing another Christian, they will write back in kind. What must an unbeliever think who sees it? “There go those Christians fighting again. I’m glad I’m not a part of that.”
I’m standing up for God, I think. Maybe, but I play right into the devil’s hands. His strategy is to divide us, damage our witness and reputation in the eyes of unbelievers. It could easily make them stumble. Moreover, I disregard Jesus’ command and his prayer that we should get along, love each other that the world might believe. (John 13: 34, 35; John 17:21). The apostle wrote, Be ye kind one to another, tender hearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ has forgiven you. (Ephesians 4:32 KJV). Wonderful words of life!

So, what’s more important, being right, or shining the light of Christ’s love that others may see our good works?. Not only does this glorify our Father in heaven, it could lead to someone repenting and becoming God’s child.

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2 thoughts on “Be Worried If The Devil Doesn’t Talk To You”

There are always lots of voices in my head!
1 John 4:1-6
Testing the Spirits
[4:1] Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God; for many false prophets have gone out into the world. [2] By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, [3] and every spirit that does not confess Jesus* is not from God. And this is the spirit of the antichrist, of which you have heard that it is coming; and now it is already in the world. [4] Little children, you are from God, and have conquered them; for the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. [5] They are from the world; therefore what they say is from the world, and the world listens to them. [6] We are from God. Whoever knows God listens to us, and whoever is not from God does not listen to us. From this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error.”

You bring up a good point about the voices in our head. I find that if I respond to those voices
emotionally, I am usually going to go in the wrong direction. Instead, I want to be guided by God’s
Word, as you have done, here, and also by God’s Spirit of love.

I will study the text you quote, and if you wish, get back to you on it. I might do a post on it.